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Stratasys' multi-material 3D printing supported the successful transplantation of a larger-than-average adult kidney from Brendan Clark, into his two-year-old son, Dexter, by using a 3D printed models of Dexter's abdomen and his father's kidney (Photo: Business Wire).

Stratasys' multi-material 3D printing supported the successful transplantation of a larger-than-average adult kidney from Brendan Clark, into his two-year-old son, Dexter, by using a 3D printed models of Dexter's abdomen and his father's kidney (Photo: Business Wire).

MINNEAPOLIS & REHOVOT, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Stratasys
(Nasdaq: SSYS), a global leader in additive technology solutions, today
announced that surgeons at Guy’s
and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, are using 3D printing
technology to improve the success rates of life-saving, complex organ
transplantation in young children. This is exemplified in the case of
two-year-old Dexter Clark, who recently received a larger-than-average
kidney from his father, Brendan Clark. 3D printing played an important
role in the operation, according to Mr. Pankaj Chandak, Transplant
Registrar at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS
trusts in the U.K., treating more than 2.4 million patients in acute and
specialist hospital services and community services every year. Surgeons
across the Trust are using Stratasys
multi-material 3D printing for planning the most intricate of
operations, with the transplant department a pioneer in the use of the
technology. Most notably, it is the first Trust in the world to use 3D
printed models to pre-plan the successful transplantation of an adult
kidney into a small child with anatomical complexities.

In the case of Dexter, it was clear that he would require a kidney
transplant before he was even born, with his father as the likely donor.
Due to the complications of his illness, Dexter was able to eat only
through a feeding tube and unable to enjoy a simple meal time with his
parents and three brothers. In order to perform the required transplant,
this case presented two distinct challenges for the surgical team.
Firstly, Dexter weighed less than 10 kg, significantly increasing the
risk. Secondly, his father’s kidney was much larger than that of the
average adult male – raising questions as to the potential feasibility
and safety of implanting the donor kidney into Dexter’s abdomen.

Typically, conventional medical imaging is used in the pre-surgical
planning process for surgeries such as this one, however these often
have limitations. As such, the surgeons used a precision, multi-material
Stratasys 3D printer, purchased from U.K. Partner, Tri
Tech 3D, to produce two intricate, patient-specific models for
pre-surgical preparations.

“Using our 3D printer, we worked in collaboration with Nick Byrne and
his team – clinical scientists from our medical physics department who
specialize in medical imaging. They converted patient CT scans into
anatomically accurate, multi-material 3D models. These helped us
appreciate aspects such as depth perception and space within the baby’s
abdomen, which can often be difficult to ascertain when looking at
conventional imaging,” explains Mr. Chandak. “The ability to print a 3D
model of the patient’s anatomy in varying textures, with the intricacies
of the blood vessels clearly visible within it, enables us to
differentiate critical anatomical relations between structures. The
flexible materials also allowed us to better mimic the flexibility of
organs within the abdomen for simulation of the surgical environment.”

Ordinarily, to reach a decision whether such complex transplants in
children are viable, patients such as Dexter would normally have been
placed under anaesthesia and the surgeon in some cases required to
conduct an invasive surgical exploration to determine feasibility. With
3D printed models of the patient, the need for surgical exploration can
be reduced, as the team can safely determine the optimal surgical
approach in the pre-planning stages before the patient is on the
operating table.

In Dexter’s case, the 3D printed models were also taken into the
operating theatre on the day of the transplant and reviewed by Mr. Nicos
Kessaris (Consultant Transplant Surgeon at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS
Foundation Trust). Mr. Kessaris was able to use the models during the
operation to assess the best way in which the donor kidney would lie and
fit into Dexter’s abdomen.

“This technology has the potential to really enhance and aid our
decision-making process both during pre-surgical planning and in the
operating room, and therefore can help in the safety of what is a very
complex operation and improve our patient care,” says Mr. Chandak.

Emily Clark, Dexter’s mother, comments, “Since the transplant, Dexter is
a changed boy, eating solid food for the very first time. We always knew
the operation would be complicated but knowing that the surgeons had
planned the surgery with 3D models that matched the exact anatomy of my
husband’s kidney and son’s abdomen, was extremely reassuring. We hope
that Dexter’s case will offer other suffering families similar
reassurance that cutting-edge technology, such as 3D printing, can help
surgeons better treat their loved ones.”

Michael Gaisford, Stratasys’ Director of Marketing for Stratasys
Healthcare Solutions, concludes: “Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation
Trust is pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved with
multi-material 3D printing within healthcare. It is a clear
demonstration of the ability for 3D printing to enable physicians to
better plan, practice and determine the optimal surgical approach. We
are delighted to see Dexter has fully recovered and hope many other
children can benefit from such forward-thinking applications of our
technology.”